Mayor Nutter and Gov. Corbett fly to Vatican tonight

Mayor Michael Nutter and Gov. Tom Corbett will depart tonight from Philadelphia International Airport to the Vatican in Rome for a planning session in advance of Philadelphia hosting the 2015 Catholic Church's World Meeting of Families.

A pilgrim throws a cap to Pope Francis during his general audience at St Peter's square on March 19, 2014 at the Vatican. Credit: Getty Images

They're going to Rome on a quest seeking the wisdom of the holy father.

Mayor Michael Nutter and Gov. Tom Corbett will depart tonight from Philadelphia International Airport to the Vatican in Rome for a planning session in advance of Philadelphia hosting the 2015 Catholic Church's World Meeting of Families.

As previously announced, Nutter and Corbett are hoping that Pope Francis will elect to visit Philadelphia for the event.

Both will arrive at the airport around 4 p.m. before their departure.

Corbett and Nutter will be abroad together for a three-day visit scheduled to include meetings with the Pontifical Council for the Family, and a rare, private audience with Argentina-born Pope Francis.

The pope attended the last World Meeting of Families in 2012 in Milan, which drew more than a million people.